Nobody Sees
by Cassy27
Summary: Human!AU. Loki suddenly shows up at Tony Stark's mansion in search of his brother Thor. Since no one even knew Thor had a brother, they are all greatly confused. Why did Thor keep Loki secret? Why does Loki suddenly show up and what is he hiding? No slash!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**Warning: there will be talk about a man/man relationship, but that is over now. For the rest, this contains no slash!**

**AN: Yes, I know… What was I thinking? Starting yet another story? But Wildest Moments and The Opposites are coming to an end so I figured I could swing it. I also wrote this weeks ago and I just hadn't posted it yet. I really hope people will like it.**

**The focus will be Thor and Loki, but this chapter is more of an introduction so I chose Tony to be the POV. Also, the chapters will all be short, but the updates should come regularly.**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 1**

Tony gazed around his living room. It had never been this _full_. Actually, it had been. Being a twenty year old billionaire that lived alone in a mansion meant that he had thrown a lot of parties in his short lifetime. What he meant by 'full' was 'full of people he actually gave a crap about'. Yes, that was an accurate description.

Tony never had many friends. He had…acquaintances since being a billionaire also meant that people were always trying to suck up to him.

He had quickly figured out how life worked and he had decided it was best if he played along. He made sure he had a few close friends, but other than that he cared very little about people. There was Pepper Pots, a young woman who still studied psychology at the University of Yale. There was Bruce Banner who he had met a few months ago while visiting a local hospital for a charity-event. Bruce had just started working there. Somehow, their love for science had connected them.

However, it was meeting Steve Rogers that had changed everything.

Steve was a young soldier who was much too kind and polite to be from this time and age. Honestly, he blushed whenever the conversation was about women! Through Steve, Tony had come in contact with a bunch of other people he actually liked. There was Clint, a guy who had archery as a hobby and a girlfriend that could probably kill you with her thighs. She was a professional gymnast. Then there was Coulson who was a local detective. He was a few years older than they were. Somehow, whenever that guy came around, Tony felt that Coulson was babysitting them.

The latest addition to this merry band was Thor Odinson. He was a polite, young English _giant_. At first, Thor had been ever so polite, reminding Tony of Steve, but now he was considered the jock of the bunch. He was loud, unintentionally funny and yet very admirable. Also, the dude had connections since he was the son of some big industrial magnate _and_ he met the freakin' Queen of England!

Now, all of those people were currently hanging out in his living room. Pepper, Natasha and Clint were having a conversation near the window. Steve, Bruce and Thor were playing a game on his Xbox and Coulson's ear was glued to his cellphone. Tony felt pretty content with having them all here. It made his giant house feel a little smaller and more like a home.

He didn't know when exactly it had happened, but lately most of his friends slept over _all the time_.

"Who wants something to drink?" He called out, having everyone's attention at once. Then he remembered _everyone_ was here. "Oh, forget it, get it yourselves!"

They all laughed, but Thor's laugh was the loudest. It always was, but Tony had grown used to that. If anything, he kinda liked Thor's laugh. It was a deep rumbling noise, but it always sounded well meant.

Just as he was about to drop down on the couch beside Bruce, the bell of his front door rang. He groaned. Since everyone he cared about was already _inside_, only someone annoying and unimportant could be _outside_. Chances were it was a journalist seeking a thrilling story.

He went to open the door anyway and was surprised to find a young man standing before him. He was definitely younger than him, not even eighteen years old if Tony was any good at guessing. He had slick raven hair, green eyes and fair skin. He also wore a devilish grin on his face that Tony sort of liked. It lay full of mischief.

Then Tony noticed the clothes. There was something…off about them. Black shoes, black trousers, black hoodie.

Was the boy going to mug him?

"Euhm," Tony said, realizing he hadn't spoken since he'd opened the door which had been about thirty seconds ago, "can I help you? If you're selling, then I am going to disappoint you I'm afraid, because I-"

"You must be Tony Stark," the boy said, his hands disappearing into the pockets of his trousers, "you look hotter in your pictures."

Is that why that boy was here? To _insult_ him? Tony was momentarily taken off guard. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by that boy again.

"Is Thor here?"

Again, not something Tony had expected.

"I'll take that as a yes," the boy said, his grin having disappeared. He pushed past Tony and entered the mansion without any real permission. He looked around when he stepped into the hallway just before focusing on Tony again. "God, I thought you'd be more sociable with that reputation of yours, but you lose your tongue very easily, don't you?"

That was it. Tony was growing annoyed with this person. He didn't even know who this person was! For all he knew, it was a serial killer out to destroy him and his friends. Or maybe he was just a nutjob.

"Is Thor in there?" The boy pointed at a closed door and before Tony could stop him, he opened it and entered the living room. Tony darted after him.

His friends all turned to look at the two that had entered. Only one person reacted, however, but it was not something Tony had expected.

Thor jumped up from the couch, his face growing pale.

"_Loki_?"

A strange name that fitted a strange boy. Tony wanted to kick him out of his house.

"Hello, brother," Loki said. His grin had vanished, something Tony found strange, but then he realized exactly what Loki had said. That made no sense and clearly, the others agreed with him.

"Wait," Steve said, confused, "Thor, you have a brother?"

Why on earth did Tony not know this?

**AN: Please tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thank you so much for your feedback. You are all really excited, which makes me excited, and I couldn't wait to post this second chapter. Enjoy!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 2**

Everyone was confused and a little bit offended. They were a tight group of friends and they knew most of each other's secrets. It's what made them so close and Tony was actually fine with that even though he always had trouble letting people in on his thoughts and such. Yes, he had needed time at first to adjust to his new life where it was all right to share certain things with each other, but even _he_ had told them secrets not even Rhodey knew!

So how came that Thor had managed to keep _a brother_ secret? It was ridiculous and Tony searched his mind for an explanation. Maybe Thor had said something about Loki before? Maybe he had shown family pictures, but never really named his brother? Nope. Nope, nope, _nope_!

"We must speak, Loki," Thor said through gritted teeth, having converted back to his old, formal voice.

It had been a while since Tony had heard Thor say something so strain and strict. When he had first met the young man, Tony had found him a bit uptight; always polite and always with the heavy accent. However, over time Thor had changed. He had lost the sharp edge of his accent.

But now Thor was back to his very old self.

Loki, who still looked like a mugger in Tony's opinion, shrugged. His cockiness had vanished and Tony was surprised to see the boy transform into just that; a _boy_. He suddenly looked small, extremely young and – Tony noticed only now – a bit scared. It was all visible in the eyes really, but Loki seemed an expert at covering up such emotions.

In this moment, you could hear a pin drop. Everyone and everything was silent. Then Thor stepped around the couch, his footsteps nearly deafening, and he escorted his brother – really, he had a brother? – back towards the hallway. For a moment, Tony thought he would leave the door open, but Thor turned around, looked apologetically at his friends and closed it.

~ 0 ~

Thor carefully closed the door, barely able to look at his friends. He had kept Loki secret from them for so long – with good reasons – and now the truth was out. He feared to think what his friends now thought of him. In their eyes, he would be the liar, the deceiver.

When he turned to look at Loki, he felt a heavy weight fall once again on his shoulders. For so long, he had thought himself free of this burden. He loved Loki with all his heart, but Loki never understood how utterly _difficult_ it was to love him in the first place. Their family was broken because of him. Thor had moved to this place because of him, to distance himself from his brother, but even here he could not escape him.

Thor inhaled deeply, not sure what to say or do.

"I know what you're thinking," Loki said surprisingly soft, "but please hear me out."

"Why are you here?" Thor locked gazes with him and refused to look away until he had answers. It was hard, however, and he cursed himself when he found his eyes invaded with tears. Even looking at him pained him. All the memories came flooding back. It was extremely unpleasant. "Loki, you shouldn't be here."

"Just listen and-"

"I am calling father."

Thor grabbed deep within his pocket and found his cellphone. He couldn't begin to imagine what Odin would say of this. He would be furious; he would yell and scream threats. Then again, would he not have reason to?

Thor was scrolling down in his list of contacts to find the right number when he heard the one thing he could not withstand.

"Brother, _please_." Loki's voice broke.

Thor closed his eyes. No matter how angry he was with him, he still could not stand to hear him in such pain. He had heard it once before – four years ago, to be exact, when he had watched them drag Loki away from him and his parents.

Slowly, Thor looked up to find Loki's cheeks covered with tears.

"What do you expect me to do?" Thor asked desperately. "You're not supposed to be here! How did you even come here?"

"I stole some money," Loki answered plainly, clearly not feeling guilty about his crime, "because I had to get out of there. Thor, things have happened and it was spinning out of control. I…I wasn't safe anymore."

Thor understood none of it.

"Safe? Well, I hardly expect a place like that to be safe. I'm sorry if you pissed of another boy, but-"

"Oh please!"

Loki's fear had transformed into anger. The sudden change had always been characteristic to him, but Thor was no longer used to it. He was beginning to doubt if Loki was even being sincere. Were those tears even real or where they a means to manipulate him?

"You can never just take my word," Loki said bitterly, "can you?"

"Can you blame me?"

That was harsh, even for Thor's standards and Loki was clearly displeased by the comment. Thor sighed and wondered if they would ever have a decent relationship. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Just tell me what happened and I'll decide then whether or not to call father."

Loki didn't answer immediately and Thor knew he was thinking of his options. It was good to know that even after all this time, he still was able to tell what Loki was doing or trying to do. He waited patiently for his brother's reply.

"Would you believe me if I said you don't want to know?" Loki eventually asked.

"I _have_ to know," Thor replied, "people are probably out there looking for you."

"And I don't want to go back," Loki said, "I just need some time, Thor, and you're the only one who can give it to me. I swear I won't cause any trouble. Just don't leave me behind again, don't fail me again. It will be just like four years ago when you let go of my hand."

Those words felt like daggers to Thor's heart. He knew for certain now that Loki was manipulating him. He was saying _exactly_ the right words and referring to _exactly_ the right events to make Thor agree to this. He was aware of it all and yet, he couldn't resist.

He _had_ let go of Loki's hand.

"What you're asking of me, Loki, of my friends…it is much."

"I know," Loki said quietly, already looking relieved, "but I have my reasons."

"One week," Thor said sternly, not wanting to give into Loki entirely, "you have one week to stay here, then I am calling father and you are going right back."

Loki nodded, his black hair shifting around his face.

"Thank you."

**AN: How vague and evasive wasn't that? XD What do YOU think happened four years ago? Let me know because I'm dying to read all your thoughts!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thank you so much for all your kind reviews! They are awesome and I do hope you'll continue to give me feedback. Please enjoy chapter three!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 3**

Tony knew everyone was trying to listen in to the conversation between Thor and his brother, but this house had thick walls. For a moment, Tony had considered using Jarvis - his artificial intelligence that was connected to every place in the house - to listen in, but he instantly knew Bruce, Steve and Coulson would have objected. Thor and Loki deserved privacy. They would all learn soon enough what this was all about.

The door opened after a few long, silent minutes. Thor and Loki entered. No one said anything, but they all looked expectantly at the two brothers. Tony could only think how little Thor and Loki looked like each other. One was blond, tall and broad with blue eyes while the other was smaller, slim with black hair and green eyes. They were like night and day.

If Tony looked closely at Loki, he noticed his eyes were red. It made him wonder if the youngest brother had cried, though he somehow found that difficult to believe.

"If it is all right with you," Thor began, addressing only Tony, "my brother would like to stay for a few days. He can sleep in my room if that suits you better."

Tony waved away the comment and turned on his most charming smile. He was good at that.

"It's no problem and I have enough guest rooms, Thor."

For some reason, Tony made a mental note to himself to keep an eye on that boy. _Both_ his eyes even. There was just something strange about Loki and Tony couldn't quite put his finger on it. There was something ominous about him, something almost…dangerous. Tony knew he would not be sleeping soundly tonight.

But this was Thor's brother and he wanted to be a good friend to him.

"Thank you," Loki said sincerely with an edge of humor to his voice. It was as if he had expected nothing else.

"Well," Clint said, a bluntness to his voice that warned Tony something stupid was going to come out of his mouth next, "I hate to be the one addressing the elephant in the room, but none of us knew Thor had a _brother_."

Yep, definitely something stupid.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," Loki said, still smiling. Then Tony realized he wasn't the only one who was able to put on a show. Loki's smile was very convincing, but it takes an expert at faking emotions to recognize another expert. "There is not a whole lot Thor can tell you about me. It is all very boring stuff."

"Anyway," Natasha said more diplomatically, shifting her gaze from Clint – who she apparently wanted to smack on the head for his comment – to Loki, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you," Loki replied kindly, "but I feel tired. It has been a long journey."

"I'll show you to your room," Tony offered. He knew he shouldn't think this in the first place, but he couldn't help but see an opportunity to learn more about the situation. Thor had clearly hidden Loki from them, not wanting anyone to know he had a brother which meant there had to be a juicy tale behind it. He might get Loki to reveal something when they were alone.

He escorted Loki back into the hallway and led him towards the stairs. As always, Tony hurried up the stairs. It was a habit of his to always skip a step. He reached the top in less than five seconds and when he turned around, he expected Loki to stand directly behind him. He was surprised to find that it was not the case. Loki was taking his time to ascend the stairs. It was a bit odd – especially the way he walked suddenly - but Tony thought no more of it.

Together they walked down a small aisle that revealed nine doors. These were all bedrooms and Tony decided to give Loki the one next to Thor's.

"Here we are," he said, pushing open the white door, "it's not the biggest room, but it should do."

Loki entered, his eyes falling on every object in the room. "Well, this is…definitely much bigger than I am used to."

Tony found that difficult to believe. Thor had told them stories about his life and from what Tony had heard, it was clear that his parents had mansions all around the world. That made Loki's comment confusing.

"So where do you come from?" Tony asked, still eager to get answers. He watched Loki frown. "I mean, I know your parents got a divorce two years ago. So did you live with your father or with your mother?"

Loki snorted and asked, "You really know nothing about me, do you?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. He couldn't get used to Loki's attitude.

Loki suddenly lifted his hand and revealed a brand new pack of cigarettes. More importantly, a pack of Tony's cigarettes. They were a special brand and Tony quickly checked his pocket to see if he still had his. Needless to say, his pocket was empty.

Loki grinned and asked, "Can I smoke in here?"

"No," Tony said through gritted teeth, feeling offended, "no, you _cannot_ smoke in here."

The billionaire could not get over the fact that Loki was so different than Thor. Not only did they not resemble each other physically, but their characters were so opposite as well. Tony was trying to get a grip on it all, but he was failing horribly. It was as if this boy was a snake: every time you managed to grasp it, it simply slithered from your hands.

"There is a glass door at the end of the aisle," Tony added, "it leads to a balcony. You can smoke there – but not _these_."

He quickly snatched the pack out of Loki's hand.

"All right, all right!" Loki said as he buried his hands in his pockets.

"So you never answered my question," Tony continued, only now realizing that Loki had stirred the conversation away from his past. So perhaps Loki didn't like to discuss what had happened between him and Thor or maybe Loki merely liked to play these sorts of games?

Tony cleared his throat and asked, "Where have you been all this time?"

"Not with my parents, if that is what you think."

"With friends then?" But Loki looked too young to already be living with friends. He wasn't even an adult. How old was he even? Tony wasn't going to ask Loki this. He would just poke and prod Thor for more information later on. "Are you living with other relatives?"

Loki turned to face Tony completely. There lay something mischievous in his eyes, but also a darkness and Tony couldn't help but swallow heavily. He wasn't sure he was going to like the answer.

"For the last four years," Loki answered plainly, "I've been in juvie."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thanks for all the feedback! I'm so glad you're all intrigued by what is going on. More information will be revealed in this chapter. Let me know what you think is going on with Loki! It was rather difficult to write this chapter, so I hope it's all one flowing text. Any and all (constructive) feedback is welcome.**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 4**

It was strange to have his little brother around. For some reason, Thor felt like an insecure twelve-year old again. He used to think that he had fixed it all, that - given time - all would be normal again. Leave it to Loki to screw it all up. Thor still doubted the decision of allowing Loki to stay with him for a weak. Perhaps he should call his father anyway, but then he would have betrayed Loki – _again_. That's not something his conscious could bear.

The first night went down peacefully and Thor supposed he should be grateful. A lot could have gone wrong yesterday, but the worst that had happened was him discovering his little brother _smoked_. It could have been much, much worse. For all Thor knew, Loki could have been doing drugs. He quickly shook that thought away. He didn't think Loki was stupid enough to touch that wretched stuff.

The morning had come quickly and even though Thor had not slept that well, he had gotten up rather early. His friends and brother were still sleeping so he took the opportunity to enjoy the silence. He sat at the table, a large cup of coffee clenched between his hands while he was reading the newspaper.

The peace and quiet ended as soon as Tony sluggishly entered the kitchen. As usual, the young billionaire looked disheveled and still slumbersome. His eyes were barely open. He yawned as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning," he said with a voice that had not yet been used today, "have you slept well?"

Tony never was a morning person – short tempered and generally a dick - so for him to ask that question alerted Thor that something more was going on. Thor placed down the newspaper and threw Tony a questioning look.

"Why do you ask?"

"_Ha_," Tony snorted, taking a careful sip from his coffee, "you know why I ask. Yesterday, your previously non-existent brother showed up and it turns out he's been in _juvie_ for a while."

Thor nearly choked and almost broke his cup. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"He told you?"

Tony was clearly surprised by Thor's reaction and Thor wished he could control himself better. But then again, he wasn't Loki, God of Mischief and Lies! It was a nickname Thor himself had given his little brother many years ago. He'd always had a knack for schemes and tricks. Thor never actually thought Loki would live up to that name.

"Relax," Tony said after a short silence, "the guy didn't attack me or something. I asked where he had been staying – with your mom or dad – and he simply gave me truth."

That was unlike Loki. If he told Tony this, then there had been a reason. Loki always did everything with a reason. Thor contemplated on what his brother wanted to achieve with this. Perhaps he wasn't ashamed of where he had been for the past four years? Or maybe the reason here was to throw off the balance that Thor had created with his friends? After all, Loki had always favored chaos above all.

Honestly, he had been such a difficult child to raise.

Tony raised his eyebrows, his gaze suddenly softening.

"What did he do so he ended up in juvie?"

Thor knew his friend had always been curious, but perhaps his curiosity had reached new levels on this matter. Frankly, it wasn't any of his business, but Thor knew he couldn't afford to lie about this anymore. He had seen the looks on his friends' faces. They had all been disappointed that he had kept this from them.

"It wasn't that bad…" So far about telling the truth! Thor sighed heavily and looked down at his steaming cup of coffee. "Loki set fire to a house while the owner was still in it." When seeing Tony's shocked expression, he quickly added, "Don't worry, the owner got out in time, but Loki ended up in juvie."

Tony suddenly turned extremely skeptical when he asked, "For four years?"

Thor should have known he wouldn't get away so easily.

"Well, to be honest, Loki didn't really show remorse afterwards. There were…_concerns_."

"Damn right!" Tony had turned into a worried house-owner. "If there is a pyromaniac living underneath my roof, then I think I deserved to know that-" Clearly a new thought invaded Tony's mind then. "Oh God, he stole my cigarettes yesterday which means he has a lighter and-"

"Tony, please," Thor interrupted him before he could finish that train of thoughts. It was unnecessary and frankly, Thor didn't really want to hear it at this time of the day. "Loki isn't a pyromaniac. He did some things wrong in his childhood, but he is fine now. A bit impolite, but that's the least of my concerns."

Tony seemed to accept that.

"Then what are you concerned about?"

Thor bit down on his lip before drinking the last of his coffee.

"Everything," he admitted, "I wonder why Loki chose to come here when he clearly could have gotten to mother much easier. She lives fifteen miles away from juvie so why did he decide to come to _me_, nearly a hundred miles away?"

They both thought about it for a moment, but it was Tony who came with an explanation.

"Maybe he just wanted to see his brother?"

Thor doubted it, but he didn't tell Tony.

"Yeah, maybe."

~ 0 ~

Loki ignored the ringing of his cellphone. He knew exactly who it was, but he didn't want to talk to him. Yet, the ringing continued and Loki thought that perhaps he had been wrong. Maybe it was his mother calling? Loki hated to admit it, but he missed her dearly. He took his cellphone from his nightstand and looked at the caller ID. It wasn't his mother. Even if it had been her, he doubted he would have answered the call.

The last person on this earth he wanted to speak now, however, was Doctor Doom.

He threw his phone onto his bed and left his bedroom. He had slept wonderfully – honestly, the bed was much better than the one he had in juvie – and he had been surprised to find it already past ten in the morning when he'd woken up. Since it was a Saturday, he expected most of Thor's friends to be here. Loki wasn't afraid of them, but he knew they would have questions. He didn't want to be the monkey in the zoo.

When he got downstairs, wearing fresh jeans and a shirt he had gotten from Tony late last night, he found the house empty.

He could hear shouts, however, and laughing. He followed the noise and found Thor and his merry band at the pool. The weather was wonderful and taking a dive was something Loki would have enjoyed. It had been ages since he had even been in a pool.

But he couldn't.

"Oh, hi," Natasha greeted him just before she jumped into the bright blue water. She made a cannonball of herself and made everyone around her wet, including Loki.

Loki quickly stepped back. His shirt was grey and he certainly didn't want it to become see-through. Still he had to keep up pretenses so he plastered a kind and convincing smile on his face.

"Good morning," he greeted the rest of the gang. He took out a cigarette and then he caught Thor's eye. Clearly, his brother disliked his new habit. _Well, screw him_, Loki thought bitterly.

Steve swam to the edge of the pool and looked up at Loki. He smiled and asked, "Why don't you join us? It's going to be a hot day, so you might as well make the best of it."

Loki let his eyes slide across every face currently looking at him. They all expected the same answer. However, Loki seriously doubted he would have a good day. He shook his head, kindly denying the offer.

"No, thanks," he said. Without another word, he headed back inside. He didn't want to see the looks on their faces. They were probably all confused, but Loki couldn't bring himself to care. As much as he wanted to take a swim, he could not. At least not without revealing everything.

Footsteps sounded behind him and Loki groaned. Clearly someone was following him and Loki prayed it wasn't Thor. He was not in the mood to have a deep, meaningful conversation. Honestly, he just wanted to be left in peace right now.

"Hey, Loki, wait up!" It was Tony who had followed him. The billionaire entered the kitchen, water dripping from his hair. A towel was currently wrapped around his waist. "Clearly you are not a big fan of swimming pools."

Loki rolled his eyes. He took a seat at the big round table and pulled the newspaper closer to him.

"Shouldn't you be outside?" he asked without looking up, "I'm sure all of your friends are anxiously awaiting your return."

"They can last a few minutes without me," Tony joked, "also, I just wanted to tell you that I don't care about what you did four years ago. You're completely welcome here."

Now that did make Loki look up. He straightened his back and leaned back into his chair. He watched Tony come to stand before him. Loki simply couldn't believe Thor had told him. So he keeps his brother hidden for years, but then out of nowhere he spills the completely truth? Loki found that difficult to believe. He crossed his arms before his chest and narrowed his eyes.

"You…_know_?"

"Yeah, Thor told me this morning about the fire. Next time you should make sure the house is empty."

Loki said nothing for a while. He should have known Thor wouldn't actually tell them the _truth_. He was far too ashamed for that and besides, Tony would probably kick him out of his house the moment he knew it all.

"Oh, the fire," Loki breathed.

"So if you're afraid that everyone will find out, then I'm here to assure you that they won't hear it from me," Tony added, "and they won't ask either."

Loki wasn't sure what he was supposed to say to that.

"Thanks, I guess?"

Tony dropped his arms and wanted to bump his fist against Loki's arm in a good-natured gesture. His arm slipped away, however, and ended up bumping against Loki's left side of his chest.

Loki gasped for air, feeling pain spread across his chest and stomach. He bit down on his lip – hard – but the damage had been done. When he looked at Tony again, he found the man frowning. Loki couldn't only think he had to control the damage.

"Are you all right?" Tony asked carefully, "I didn't think I used that much force."

"I'm fine," Loki lied, using a strained voice. He was still gasping for air. "I've always been sensitive."

A thousand needles were currently penetrating Loki's skin. He pushed himself away from the counter, ignored the little stars currently dancing before his eyes and hurried away without looking back. The longer he stayed around Tony, the more he could reveal. He should have known that it was a bad idea to come here. _He should have known!_ But where else could he had gone to then?

As he made his way upstairs, he could only think: _damn_.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, you guys! You are all awesome. I bring with me the fifth chapter. I hope it will be enjoyed.**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 5**

Thor was lying in the grass, with his eyes closed and his hands underneath his head as he enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his skin. He could hear his friends talking and laughing in the pool. He could also hear the water splashing. He was planning on joining them soon, but right now, he liked this moment of peace. Since Loki was up, Thor planned on babysitting his little brother like a hawk. He was _not_ going to let him out of his sight for the rest of the day. He just figured he would leave his brother the chance to have breakfast first.

To his left, the door of veranda slid open. Thor couldn't help but open his eyes and turn his head. Tony came outside again, a frown adorning his face.

He didn't think much of it until he saw Tony walking towards him. His first thought was that the billionaire was planning some elaborate joke, but then Thor remembered that he had been with Loki. He groaned silently. What had his little brother done now?

Tony kneeled beside him, his back to the rest of their friends so that no one could hear him. It was another strange and concerning gesture. Thor propped himself up to his elbows. He did not like Tony's behavior at all.

"Is everything all right?"

"It's about your brother," Tony answered quietly, instantly alarming Thor, "I'm not sure what happened inside, but I swear he was in pain."

A deep frown crossed Thor's face, but he refused to fall into this trap. If Loki was scheming something again, then Thor refused to be a part of it.

"Loki's _always_ in pain," Thor remarked, "putting on sad puppy eyes is what he is good at."

Thor had actually learned his own puppy-eyes-look from Loki. It was a very good way to get something from his mother. Frigga could not deny him anything when he widened his eyes and pulled down the corners of his mouth.

"I'm not talking about that," Tony argued, unmoved, "I mean _actual_ _physical_ _pain_. I accidently poked him in the side and I swear, Thor, the guy could barely breathe."

Now that did trouble Thor.

"You should go to him," Tony added.

Thor did just that.

~ 0 ~

Loki had locked himself away in his bedroom. It wasn't that he wanted to lock anyone out, but now that he _had_ a lock, he wanted to use it as much as possible. It felt like he had regained some level of control in his life. It wouldn't last very long though. He knew he could expect Tony running to Thor to explain what had happened. Thor could be here any moment now.

Just as predicted there were two short knocks on his door, followed by Thor's deep voice.

"Loki, can I please come in?"

Loki sighed heavily.

He knew that ignoring Thor would be pointless – it had been so during their childhood – so Loki got up from his bed and went to his door. He unlocked it without saying anything and waited for Thor to enter. He quickly got back to his bed and sat down on the edge of it. He watched his brother enter.

There was a short pause and Loki decided he couldn't really bear looking at his brother right now. He let himself fall back – very gently as to not hurt himself even more – and stared at the ceiling.

"Loki, I-"

"I don't know you anymore," Loki interrupted. He wasn't sure where this conversation would lead to, but he only knew he wanted to distract Thor for now. "Last time I saw you, I was fourteen and you were seventeen. Now that has been three years ago. I feel like we never had a shared childhood." Without having to look at his older brother, Loki knew that Thor was lost for words. "And I know," he continued, "I am entirely to blame, but tell me, how are you?"

Loki turned his head a bit so he could look at Thor. At the moment, he felt the situation was safe enough. Thor would not ask him any sensitive questions.

Thor inhaled deeply, standing almost awkwardly near the closed door.

"I am good, but that is not why I am-"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Again, there was a silence. Thor clearly had no idea how to handle the situation. _Good,_ Loki thought,_ that would make it easier to control it all_.

"Yes, I do have a girlfriend," Thor eventually answered, "her name is Jane. She studies astrophysics."

"I'm sure she is very pretty."

Loki couldn't help but think back of an old friend. Sigyn had lived just across the street and Loki had always liked her since kindergarten. She was smart and very pretty with long dark hair and bright blue eyes. It had been years since he had last seen her and he wondered how she was doing. She had probably forgotten all about him.

But now was not the time to think of her.

"When you came to see me for the last time," Loki said, his voice oddly soft, "I kept hoping you would come back anyway. Mother came to see me at least once a week and sometimes she cried. Sometimes, I cried, but I knew she would always come back. Father I saw a few times around my birthday and around the holidays since he is always so busy with work. I never really cared about that, but I did care that _you_ never came back."

"I couldn't…" Thor replied sadly, "I couldn't come back."

"I know I was horrible," Loki admitted, remembering Thor's last visit, "I cried and I yelled and I cursed. I shouldn't have said the things I said." Loki had blamed Thor for letting the police officers take him, he had called him horrible names, but worst of all, he had called him a disappointment. There had been a lot of crying and drama and Thor had never come back after that.

"I never blamed you, Loki," Thor said, "I was never angry with you. I felt broken last time I saw you and I knew I couldn't go through that again."

Loki sighed heavily. He couldn't believe how much he had messed up his life and that of others. He couldn't help but wonder if his parents would still be together if he hadn't set that fire. He wondered where Thor would be, where_ he_ would be.

He had stayed silent for too long and Thor once again remembered why he had come to his room in the first place.

"Tony said you've been hurt," Thor explained, "is that why you left the center?"

Now was not the time for heavy explanations so Loki decided to say nothing.

"I'll make you a deal," Thor continued, "just let me take care of you. Show me what's wrong and I swear I won't ask any questions."

Now that was interesting. It might just be the best deal Loki would get.

Grudgingly, he sat up and after steadying himself, he carefully lifted his shirt. He knew exactly what Thor was looking at. He had seen it hundred times in the mirror already and Loki no longer wanted to witness it. He closed his eyes and swallowed heavily.

Black and blue bruises ran all alongside his chest, left side and stomach. There were a few small, open wounds, but those were beginning to heal – albeit not very good. It all looked painful and that is exactly what it was.

Thor let out a long breath, looking absolutely horrified.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thank you so much for all your reviews! Your support is what keeps me going. There was actually a second part to this chapter, but otherwise it would have become too long. I don't want each chapter to be between 1000 to 1500 words only for this one to be over 2500 words. I will post the next chapter as soon as possible.**

**Enjoy!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 6**

Loki could no longer stand the horrified expression on Thor's face. Not knowing what else he could do, he let his shirt drop down again. He hoped that covering the bruises once again would make Thor snap out of it. There was a part of him that was beginning to doubt if showing the bruises to Thor had been such a great idea in the first place.

Thor still looked shocked - even a bit sick - but then he shook his head, blinked rapidly and allowed his gaze to connect with Loki's.

"You promised no questions," Loki reminded him sternly. He was not planning on telling his big brother anything. He could just imagine the unbearably consequences of Thor finding out the truth. He would do something rash and stupid which everyone would regret later on. No, it was best if Thor was kept in the dark about this.

Thor bit back a few words, but nodded. He seemed torn with keeping his promise or firing a dozen questions at his brother.

"I know, Loki," Thor said after a short silence, "but I also said I would take care of you. But that… Those bruises…" He seemed absolutely lost for words. "Allow my friend Bruce to take a look at your injuries. He's a good doctor and he'll know what to do."

That didn't sound so bad to Loki. He might as well accept the chance to feel a bit better at this point. Just as long as there weren't any questions. In truth, Loki felt incredibly grateful that Thor had kept his word. A part of him hadn't expected it. He supposed he should give his brother more credit. Thor had always been someone who valued the truth of his words.

"Okay," Loki said softly, "go and get Bruce."

~ 0 ~

Thor would not lie to Loki, not while their relationship was still so fragile. So he had kept his promise – he had not asked any questions – and he had convinced Loki to let someone check out those bruises. Thor shivered when remembering the sight of Loki's torso. He felt like smashing something every time he thought of it. He also swore to himself that he would kill the son of a bitch that inflicted those wounds on his baby brother.

He hadn't lied about Bruce either. He knew Bruce Banner was a decent guy with obvious values; he had integrity, honesty and kindness.

As Thor guided his older friend back to his brother's room, he was afraid Loki might have locked himself away. It wouldn't even have surprised him – since Loki never really allowed anyone to help him – but in this case, Loki had left his door open.

Thor entered first and found his brother sitting on the edge of his bed. Loki suddenly looked so incredible small and fragile as he sat there. His head was bowed and his hands were resting motionlessly in his lap. Thor sometimes forgot Loki was only seventeen. Perhaps it was because they had already lived through so much.

There was the sudden urge to walk towards Loki and embrace him in a tight, never-ending hug, but Thor was aware he would only hurt his brother even more.

Bruce entered the room after Thor. The youngest Odinson was still gazing at his hands, but clearly he seemed to regret his decision of allowing Bruce to take a look at him. Thor wished he could assure him that all would be well, but his words remained stuck in his throat.

But Bruce was an experienced – albeit young – doctor that knew how to sooth his patients.

"Hello, Loki," Bruce began, a friendly smile on his face, "I heard from your brother that you've been hurt."

Loki lifted his head and stared at Bruce without saying anything.

Bruce continued to smile while he turned to look at Thor.

"Why don't you give us some privacy?" Bruce asked.

Thor nodded and said, "I will be downstairs so if you need anything…"

"Thank you," Bruce said.

It was difficult for Thor to leave Loki behind at this point. It seemed he was already becoming attached to him once again. It had been years since he had last seen him, but only now did he realize how much he had actually missed his little brother.

As he pulled the door shut behind him, Thor exhaled slowly. He wished there was something more he could do.

~ 0 ~

"I am only here to help you, Loki," Bruce said.

Loki still kept his gaze firmly on the doctor. He had agreed to this, but now he was starting to doubt it all. He didn't want Bruce to see his injuries. He didn't want _anyone _to see them because that would only lead to questions. Loki wasn't sure he trusted anyone enough to confide in. If he thought about it, he found himself all alone. There wasn't a person in this world he could tell truth to.

Or perhaps it was all in his head?

"I want to take a look at your injuries," Bruce continued kindly when Loki remained silent, "could you lift up your shirt for me?"

Loki bit down on his lip. He could still push the doctor away. He could still tell him to leave him alone. But what was the point again? Loki was thoroughly confused at this point.

Reluctantly, he pulled of his shirt. His movements were slow and calculated since every muscle and bone in his body seemed to ache.

Bruce made sure he didn't show any emotions. He had seen kids and adults with such wounds before and he always felt appalled. However, showing that to the patient was not advisable. Bruce moved to sit closer to Loki and began to examine his wounds.

"If I am hurting you," Bruce said, "then tell me."

"No," Loki said, looking away from the doctor, "you're not hurting me."

A few minutes passed and Loki was growing anxious. He didn't like the feeling of so many fingers on his skin. He certainly didn't like it when Bruce placed the cold end of his stethoscope against his chest. He barely restrained himself from flinching.

"Okay," Bruce said, "your lungs are clear so that's a relief. I am concerned about all these bruises, though. I am going to apply an ointment that should help ease the pain."

Loki nodded as to give permission to the doctor to continue with the treatment. Bruce seemed to clean his skin with a piece of desterilized cloth. He then applied a thick layer of ointment and placed a bandage all around his torso. The pressure actually felt good and Loki couldn't help but sigh contently.

However, in the moment of silence, Bruce saw an opportunity to address the situation properly. Loki could only groan internally as he felt the doctor's stare on him. Thor might have made a promise, but Bruce had not.

"I hope this hasn't happened often," Bruce said, his eyes fixed on Loki, "these bruises are quite severe and some of the torn skin would have begun to discharge pus had I not disinfected it."

"Don't worry about it," Loki said apathetically.

"Loki, not only is your skin heavily bruised, some of your _ribs_ are bruised as well. That is what caused you difficulty breathing before," Bruce explained, not pleased to see his patient so disinterested, "you've been lucky. It could all have been much worse. You know I am your doctor right now and I am still bound by doctor-patient-confidentiality. You can tell me what happened and I can assure you that I will not tell another soul."

Loki considered the offer for a moment, but he decided to dismiss it. He _couldn't_ tell Bruce even if the guy promised to keep it a secret. Then again, telling someone might just make him feel better, though he would have to trust the doctor. Trust was not something Loki could easily place in someone. He even had difficulty trusting his own brother.

"Loki," Bruce added empathically, "I examined your wounds closely and I saw something."

Loki had no idea what he was trying to tell him.

"One of the bruises had a peculiar shape," Bruce continued, "almost like a shoe print, one about a size 11 I'd say. If someone kicked you this severe, then you should do something about that. You can press charges with the police."

"And then what?" Loki snapped at the doctor. He hadn't meant to react so viciously, but somehow, Bruce's words had unnerved him. "You think they'll believe a youth delinquent over a psycholo-" He stopped himself right there, but he knew it was too late. He had said too much.

Bruce handed Loki's shirt back to him. His kind brown eyes revealed much, but his compassion was the most obvious. Loki could tell he was the kind of person that had become a doctor for the sake of helping people and not for the money.

"Did your psychologist do this to you?"

Loki averted his gaze. His mind was racing, searching for quick solutions until he realized he already had the solution.

"So this is all confidential?"

Bruce nodded and said, "I promise."

"Then yes, my psychologist did this," Loki admitted with some reluctance, "his name is Doctor Doom, but I actually believe that he is a good guy. He really helped me the last few years. When he did this to me, he was…he wasn't himself."

"Why do I get the feeling that is only five percent of the entire story?"

"Because it is. You promised not to tell anyone, so not even Thor. I don't care that he is my brother, this would only worry him and make him do stupid, irrational things."

"So you're trying to protect Thor."

Loki swallowed heavily. He disliked the fact that Bruce was able to read him so easily.

"You should really go to the police with this," Bruce repeated, "but I can't force you. Can I ask you to think about it at least?"

Loki sighed and then nodded, if only to get Bruce off his back.

"If you do decide to press charges, then you'll need evidence," Bruce continued, looking pleased, "a doctor has to officially identify these wounds as a result of intentional assault and battery. I can do that for you."

Loki rubbed his tired face with both his hands. He could really miss all this, but then again, it seemed he was just made for bad luck. Or had he caused this himself? Had he not played a part in all this? Maybe Doctor Doom wasn't entirely to blame, but Loki only knew that he didn't dare to press charges.

All attention would be back on him and Loki was tired of being called a liar.

"Thank you, doctor," he said while dropping his hands again, "I already feel better."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: A new chapter! Thanks for all the feedback. I hope you're ready for this one.**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 7**

For the shortest moment, Thor thought that everything might come together.

Loki had allowed Bruce to treat his wounds and now he seemed genuinely better and healthier. He still refused to tell Thor what had happened, but Thor was merely pleased that Loki was no longer refusing any help. He figured his brother would tell him the truth in due time. After all, Loki couldn't remain silent forever.

Although…this was _Loki_ and Thor knew his little brother was always full of surprises.

But when Monday arrived, Thor was faced with another seemingly impossible task: calming down a certain Anthony Edward Stark.

The young billionaire came storming into the kitchen, the newspaper clutched between his fingers.

"What the hell is _this_?" Tony asked furiously. He dropped the paper before Thor.

Now Thor was looking at the picture of Loki Odinson on page eleven, accompanied by a surprisingly long article of how the young convict had escaped the Youth Detention Centre on Friday. The article explained that Loki had been staying there the last four years and that he was last seen in a train station. The whole article made one thing very clear; beware of this young man, he is dangerous.

It was utterly ridiculous.

Thor looked up at his friend. "Tony, don't believe-"

"I think I had the right to know this," Tony was beyond furious, "I am hiding a fugitive, Thor, a _fugitive_!"

"Loki is hardly-"

"No more lies," Tony interrupted again. He straightened his back and folded his arms before his chest. "I agreed to let your brother stay here for the time being, but I thought he had been _released_ from the center. I didn't know he _escaped_. I want to know what he did four years ago. I want to know everything!"

"Please, Tony, it matters not."

"Yes, it does."

Thor bit down on his lip. Indeed he could no longer hide the truth from his friend. He had not told him Loki had escaped and he did ask him to commit a crime. Telling him the truth was the least he could do. Thor knew Loki would not be pleased with this.

"I'll tell you," he sighed.

"Good," Tony said curtly. He sat down before Thor. "I am listening."

Thor, having been so focused on his friend, hadn't heard his brother enter the kitchen. Loki stood a few paces behind Tony and he looked relaxed. He looked a bit _too_ relaxed for Thor's liking, but at least he wasn't smiling. Perhaps Loki didn't mind Tony learning what he had done.

Loki walked forward and sat down next to Thor. Tony widened his eyes when he saw the youngest Odinson. Was that concern in his eyes? Thor could never tell what Tony was thinking.

"If you want," Loki said, gazing directly at Tony, "I will tell you everything you want to know."

~ 0 ~

Tony felt kind of bad for demanding the truth like this, but he reminded himself that he had reasons enough. The most important one being that he was hiding a fugitive. Tony didn't really see himself going to jail for this, but it was definitely something he could miss. He could already imagine Obadiah going batshit crazy about this should he find out. It would definitely not be good PR for the company.

"Tell me where to start," Loki said, looking somewhere between amused and bored. Yet, there lay something else in his eyes as well. Tony was sure the youngest Odinson was almost testing him. "I promise I won't tell lies."

"Tony, I already told you what happened," Thor intervened. He closed the newspaper and pushed it away from him. He clearly disliked seeing the mug-shot from his little brother and Tony could understand that. He was aware this couldn't be easy for the two brothers.

"Did you, Thor?" Loki asked, sarcasm and a strange edge of hurt in his voice, "did you really?"

"Not everything," Thor sighed.

Tony kept switching his gaze between Thor and Loki. He could sense a strange air of tension between them suddenly. Obviously the events of four years ago had driven them apart. It was almost sad to witness.

"I know you only told me half of what happened," Tony said, "and I want to know _everything_." He turned away from Thor and focused on Loki. "Start from the beginning."

"I don't have to be here for this," Thor muttered as he stood from the table, "I don't _want_ to be here. I've lived it."

Tony watched Thor exit the kitchen and he wished he had stayed. He didn't really know why, but being alone with Loki at this very moment felt dangerous. He would never show that to the boy of course, but he couldn't help but swallow heavily. He wasn't sure what to expect now. Yes, he knew part of the truth, but what else could there be? What could be worse than setting a house on fire with the owner still inside?

"Okay," Tony said, "begin."

"What did Thor tell you?"

"Not much," Tony answered, "you set a house on fire while there was still a guy inside – but that he got out okay – and that you didn't really show remorse."

Loki nodded. "Not entirely a lie," he said before sucking in a deep breath, "but there is indeed much, _much_ more."

Tony said nothing and waited for Loki to continue.

"I was twelve-" Loki began his tale, his eyes trained on Tony's face, "-when I first discovered the truth of my heritage. I'd ask you if you know, but you didn't even know I existed until three days ago so I'll assume you know nothing about me."

Tony could tell that Loki was insulted by Thor's actions. It can't be easy to discover that your own brother kept you secret from his best friends.

"I'm not Thor's real brother," Loki continued, "I am adopted. When I learned this when I was twelve, I felt like my whole world made sense suddenly. I had always known I was different from Thor, that my parents treated me differently."

Loki's thoughts drifted back to those times, his gaze becoming unfocused.

"One night, I hacked into my father's home computer – he really shouldn't have used my mother's birthday as his password – and I found the truth. I found_ everything_. That's how I learned my real father's name is Laufey and that he lived a few miles north from where I was currently living with my family."

Tony listened intently, not sure where all this was going.

"It took me a year to find the courage to go to my biological father and talk to him," Loki sighed, his eyes now on his hands, "a _whole_ year. Then again, I was just a kid and thinking back I suppose I deserve some credit for finding the courage in the first place. Anyway, I found where Laufey lived and rang his doorbell. You should have seen the look on his face. He was shocked to see me, but not for the reasons you'd think."

Tony frowned, but he didn't want to ask questions. He could tell Loki wasn't really with him anymore. He was completely swallowed by the memories.

"Laufey had meant to kill me as a baby, you see," Loki said quietly, "and it was Odin who found me on the street, abandoned, suffering and left to die."

Tony felt sorry for Loki at this point and he wished he could say something, but anything that came to his mind just seemed pointless. Why would Loki care if he felt sorry for him?

"We barely talked, but what I learned ripped me apart." Loki's voice had become nothing more than a whisper. "He hated me, he _actually deeply_ hated me. My mother died giving birth to me and Laufey blamed me. I couldn't live with that. Now I had a fake father who preferred his real son and a real father who would prefer to see me dead. I don't know what happened then, but something snapped."

There was a long moment of silence and Tony was unsure if Loki was planning on saying anything else.

"What happened then?"

"I waited," Loki said, lifting his gaze again. His eyes stood so dark suddenly and Tony felt a shiver run down his back, "I waited until it was dark and I set his house on fire."

Tony widened his eyes.

"You knew Laufey was still in there."

"I wouldn't have done it otherwise," Loki admitted, "I was furious when I learned he had survived. The police obviously found me and Odin tried to protect me, but I made it no secret that I would try again if I had the chance."

Before, Tony had felt sorry for him, but now he was genuinely _scared_ of him.

"It wasn't until later that I realized what I had done," the young man added, "and I was so frightened when they came to arrest me. I clung onto Thor. I begged him not to let me go, but of course he did. He had no other choice and he was only sixteen at the time. He came to visit me a few times after that, but one day I said horrible things – I really hurt him – and he didn't come back. That was three years ago."

Tony was lost for words.

"And there you have it," Loki concluded, "the complete truth."

Tony dropped his arms, put his hands in his pockets and crossed his arms again. Not only was he lost for words, he actually had no idea what to do with himself. Should he call the police? Should he tell Loki to leave his house? That would be unfair to Thor and Tony didn't want to disappoint his friend. Loki was obviously here for a reason so he couldn't just send him away, could he?

"Why did you escape?"

Something changed within Loki at that point. He had been ready to reveal the truth of his past, but this was an entire new subject and Tony could actually see the rise of walls all around him. Getting the truth on this would be very difficult.

"I confided Bruce," Loki explained, his voice stern, "but I'm not going to the police with this. I am as much to blame as Doctor Doom."

Loki instantly realized he had said too much. It would have been nothing, just a minor mistake, had Thor not reappeared at that very moment.

"_Doom_ did this?" Thor roared.

Loki's frantic gaze landed on his brother.

"Thor, I know what you're thinking, but-"

"I will kill that son of a bitch!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thank you so much for your kind reviews! You have no idea how much it means to me. Here is the latest chapter. I hope you'll enjoy this one. Please let me know what you thought of it. I'm dying to get your insights!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 8**

Loki's eyes widened. Never before had he seen his brother so angry. Thor had yelled at him before. He still felt shivers run down his back when he remembered his brother's reaction four years ago. When Thor had learned what Loki had tried to do to Laufey, he had burst into a fit of rage. He had turned red in the face and he had gone around the house smashing every vase and mirror he could find.

But this kind of anger was different. Loki swore he could see murder written in Thor's blue eyes.

He jumped up from his seat and rushed forward. Thor was already turning around to walk away, but Loki quickly grabbed Thor's arms. He had to stop his brother from making a horrible mistake. He knew that as soon as Thor would leave this house, stupid, irresponsible things would happen. Loki could tell by the seize of Thor's arms that he was actually capable of beating a grown man to death. Loki didn't want to see his brother go to jail for him.

"Thor, please listen to me," Loki pleaded.

Thor angrily pulled his arms free.

"I will kill that maniac and-"

Luckily, Tony had decided that stopping Thor was priority at this point as well. The billionaire rushed towards Thor as well and forced him to look into his eyes.

"Thor, you're not leaving my house. Just take a few deep breaths and _calm down_."

"How can I calm down?" Thor hisses through bared teeth. "I just discovered my brother has been beaten and kicked by his psychologist, a man we are supposed to trust."

Loki swallowed heavily. One part of him is very pleased to see Thor acting so protective of him. It reminds him of when they were younger. No one ever touched Loki out of fear to face Thor's wrath. But at this moment, Loki also wants his idiotic brother to calm down. This isn't helping anyone and Loki is growing agitated.

"Why don't we just listen to Loki," Tony offered, "listen to what he has to say. Let him explain this."

Loki couldn't believe what Tony was saying. Actually telling the truth about what happened would just send Thor over the edge. If Thor wanted to kill Doom now, he would want to slowly torture the doctor to death _after_ the explanation. Loki liked a part of that fantasy, but he also knew Thor needed protecting against himself at this moment.

Only then did Loki realize that both Tony and Thor were staring at him. His breaths came raggedly from his chest.

Was he hyperventilating?

"Loki?" Thor asked. Fury was still very much visible in his eyes, but clearly concern for his little brother was coming back to him as well. Loki supposed it was an improvement. "Loki, are you all right?"

This was all becoming too much. Loki had not been prepared for this when he had gotten up this morning. He blamed himself for the mess. He shouldn't have let Doom's name slip. How stupid hadn't he been? Now he had to face the consequences and Loki despised it.

Tony frowned slightly and said his name again.

"I'm fine," Loki snapped. He truly had enough of these unnecessary concerns.

"You've got to tell the truth now, Loki," Tony said, his voice calm and strangely kind, "we are only trying to help you, but if you don't let us-"

"It's too late anyway," Loki sighed, feeling exasperated. He wanted to disappear from this kitchen as quickly as possible, but he knew Thor and Tony wouldn't let him go now. He rubbed a hand over his tired face. "It's all done. I know Doom regrets his actions, he has left me enough messages already."

Thor turned horrified.

"You still have contact with him? Even after what he did to you?"

"Not really," Loki replied, shrugging, "he calls me a dozen times a day, but I never pick up. He just leaves me messages on my voicemail and says the same thing over and over again. He says he is sorry and that he hopes I'll forgive him."

"You know," Tony said hesitantly, frowning again, "that doesn't really make sense…unless…"

"Unless what?" Thor asked, his gaze shifting between his friend and his brother.

Loki hated that Tony always figured him out so easily.

Tony only had eye for the youngest Odinson now.

"Unless," the billionaire continued, "you have some kind of leverage. Why did Doom beat you in the first place, huh? Why did you manage to run away, escape and _why_ hasn't anyone come looking for you here?"

Thor's eyes widened. He looked about ready to beat himself on the head. Tony's questions were so simple, but Thor had never thought of them. Loki wished they had never been brought up.

"No more secrets, brother," Thor said softly. For the first time, he looked tired and desperate.

Loki couldn't stand it. The truth be told, he felt tired and desperate as well. He was sick of all the hiding and he was sick of keeping his pain inside. Perhaps he shouldn't bother anymore. Thor and his friend already knew this much so they might as well know everything. It would only be a matter of time before they would learn the truth in the end.

"Doom doesn't want me found just yet," Loki answered after a long silence. He was beginning to think he wanted some people to know what had really happened. Perhaps he really wanted Thor to know. His brother had done so much for him already and Loki figured he_ owed_ him. "He definitely doesn't want me found with all these bruises so clearly visible."

Thor balled his hands into fists. Anger was returning to his blue eyes and Loki could tell Thor was itching to punch something.

Tony was the one that kept his head cool and asked, "Why did he do it?"

"Thor," Loki placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, gazing directly into his eyes, "promise me you'll listen and that you won't do anything stupid after this. _Promise_ me you won't judge me."

"Alright," Thor breathed, "I promise."

Loki sucked in a deep breath. This would be the first time he told someone this. It might feel like a relief or it might be his biggest mistake yet. Loki wouldn't know until the end. He swallowed heavily and couldn't help but glance away from his brother.

"Doom has been my psychologist for two years now," he began, "when I first arrived at the center, I was stuck with this old, boring man that never really listened to what I had to say. I hated my therapy sessions. Why would I want to talk to someone who couldn't care less about me? And then Doom replaced him and for the first time, I met an adult that actually seemed to give a crap about me."

Thor looked pained, but said nothing.

Loki continued, "During our first session, we talked about non-important stuff. Movies, books, music. We hit it off and I was actually looking forward to our second session. That one was more difficult since I had to talk about my family. I also had to talk about you, but it was okay because Doom understood me and he listened. He didn't ask questions when I didn't want him to and he didn't push for any truths."

"Then what?" Thor asked carefully.

"Then around session four, we were talking about my childhood. It was a good talk. I confided in him that I was adopted – something he undoubtedly already knew, but again he listened and again I felt relieved afterwards. I felt a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. Then out of nowhere, at the end of the session, he kissed me."

"_What_?"

Tony slapped Thor hard on the arm, making him shut up.

Loki ignored it.

"At first I didn't know what was happening, I just knew … I liked it. It was soft and tender and Doom didn't push for anything more. I was just fifteen and it was around the time where I began to understand that you, Thor," Loki had difficulty pushing back his fears and concerns and he had trouble forcing his tears away, "I knew you wouldn't be coming around to visit me again. I was just lost."

Thor stood there, his eyes wide and his lips slightly parted. He was shocked and clearly a bit nauseous. Loki didn't want to see that so he closed his eyes and forced himself to continue. He needed to get a grip on himself.

"Then another five sessions later," he said apathetically, "he was fucking me. It was only a few weeks ago that I finally…I don't know, came to my senses? I realized that what we were doing was wrong. Doom was clearly taking advantage of me and what he was doing can be considered statutory rape. I've always been smart and I thought I could use that to my advantage. Last time I saw Doom, I confronted him. I told him we were done and that if he didn't help me get out of juvie soon, I would tell the world of our little activities."

"And Doom snapped," Tony understood.

Thor looked pale and he was trembling.

"Yeah," Loki sighed, unable to focus on his brother. He needed to complete his tale. "You should have seen him. He was so angry. He pushed me and I fell. Next thing I know, I am being kicked again and again. It lasted maybe five minutes and when Doom realized what he'd done, he was completely in shock. That's when I ran. I figured it was my best chance to escape. I couldn't go to mother, however, because she would be heartbroken and father…well…he'd never believe me so I came here."

Finally, Loki found the courage to look back into Thor's eyes. He saw how utterly broken Thor was. His blue eyes were wet with tears and Loki knew his brother felt guilty. However, no matter what he would tell him, Thor would continue to feel guilty.

"Brother?" Loki asked softly.

"I…" Thor cleared this throat, steadying himself, "I had no idea."

"I know."

"I will kill him," Thor whispered, "I swear I will-"

"You can't," Loki interrupted him, smiling faintly, "you wouldn't want to end up in jail, would you?"

Tony stayed quiet.

Thor began to shake his head.

"But this, Loki, _this_…" He inhaled deeply. "You're my little brother and I have always tried to protect you. I failed in that task, I know that, so I want to make it up to you. Let me do something."

"If you want to do something," Tony said, looking at his friend, "then convince Loki to go to the police."

"They'll never believe me," Loki explained stubbornly.

"Of course they will," Thor objected, "you have enough proof. You have the bruises and I know Bruce, as a doctor, made an official report for you. I will support you in this and I know our parents will as well. Doom can't get away with this."

Thor had a point. Who was to say he had been the only one Doom had used like that? He might have been the first, but he might not be the last. Loki had never cared much for the other kids, but he wished this fate upon no one.

Still feeling uncertain about this, he agreed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thank you for all your support. I'm glad you still like the story. Someone said that I told you this would be no slash while I suddenly bring up Loki/Doom. In my opinion, that isn't slash. There are no current relationships of the slash-sort. I did warn in the beginning of the story that there would be talk of a male/male relationship, but that relationship has ended. I'm sorry if that warning wasn't enough. My apologies to anyone that feels deceived.**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 9**

The tension was unbearable.

Thor kept switching his gaze between Loki and his parents. They were currently sitting at Stark's kitchen table, both having a cup of tea standing before them, yet none dared to touch it apparently. Both Odin and Frigga had their gazes trained on their youngest son and Thor could tell Loki was regretting the decision to meet with their parents.

Yet it was necessary. Odin and Frigga had to know the truth. Besides, since they had learned Loki had escaped from juvie, they had been deathly worried about him. They owed them an explanation.

No longer able to stand the silence, Thor cleared his throat and straightened his back. Both his parent's gazes suddenly landed on him and he was momentarily lost for words. He was beginning to experience how Loki had felt the last couple of minutes. The gazes of his parents felt like daggers to his body.

"I can't begin to understand how worried you both were," Thor said cautiously, trying not to say anything that would set his parents off into a fit of rage. Shouting truly wouldn't help in this case, though he would understand if either Odin or Frigga did so.

"That's an understatement," Frigga said. Her voice was so soft that it hurt Thor to hear his mother speak so. He had expected to hear anger in her voice, but instead there was only disappointment and sadness. "When I got the call that Loki was missing, I cried. I was already imagining him lying in some godforsaken ditch."

"I'm sorry," Loki whispered. It was barely audible.

Frigga's eyes landed on her youngest son again and tears came to her eyes.

"I swore to myself that I would not be angry," she said, her voice trembling, "and I am not. I am so very relieved that you are all right, Loki, but I do want an explanation. I think your father can agree to that."

For the first time, Thor truly looked at Odin. He had always been a very collected man, one that rarely showed any true emotions, but even that was different today. For the first time since so long, Thor could see confusion and uncertainty in his blue eyes.

Loki swallowed heavily, his gaze falling to his folded hands lying on the smooth table surface. For a moment, Thor thought Loki would lie. He _always _lied to their parents. This was a difficult situation and Thor would actually understand should Loki spin some random tale.

"Things happened at the center," Loki explained, still not looking up.

"What kind of things?" Odin asked. Even his voice showed no anger. "You have to give us more than that, son. We agreed we wouldn't call the police immediately, but we do want the truth - the _complete_ truth."

When Loki gazed up, Thor noticed that his eyes held a special sort of glimmer. It took him a few seconds to realize that the glimmer was caused by tears. Were they real or were they a part of an act? Thor could never tell with his brother. He had always been brilliant at manipulations and their parents had always been the victim.

"It's not that simple to explain," Loki said, a hint of accusation in his voice. Thor knew the relationship between Loki and Odin had always been strained and that would not help them in this case. "I can't just blurt it out."

"Then take your time, honey," Frigga said sweetly.

Loki inhaled deeply. He shut his eyes tightly and brought a hand through his hair. When he exhaled, he opened his eyes again and looked to be more in control of himself. Thor now thought Loki felt as insecure and hurt as he appeared to be. Could it be that for once Loki wasn't playing them? That for once he had brought down that shield that was always around him?

Almost reluctantly, Loki began his tale. He told Odin and Frigga of the boring old psychologist. He told them about the new one, Doom, and how he felt better around him. Odin and Frigga listened intently to their son's every word, but when Loki got to the truly important part – the one where Loki and Doom had a sexual relationship – Thor could sense a change in the air. Odin balled his hands into fists and all the blood seemed to drain from his face. He turned white with anger and disgust. Frigga began to cry silently and she covered her mouth with her right hand. She never looked away from Loki.

Then Loki told them about the beating and how he had come to Thor. He told them he had been here all this time and that he wanted to go to the police.

"Oh my," Frigga said as she tried not to sob uncontrollably.

The most spectacular thing happened suddenly. Thor watched with astonishment as Odin reached for Frigga's hand. This wasn't the first time their parents had been in the same room since the divorce two years ago, but it was the first time they showed affection towards each other again.

"I'm sorry," Loki said in hushed tones.

"No," Odin said with a strong voice, "you have nothing to apologize for."

Thor was relieved to hear their father say this.

Loki simply seemed abashed. "You don't blame me?" He asked, his green eyes wide as he tried to make sense out of the situation. "You're not angry with me?"

"Why would we be?" Frigga asked, shocked to hear Loki pose such questions. "Loki, we are so sorry you had to go through all that. Your father and I only want the best for you because we love you. If we had known, we would have intervened."

"Doctor Doom will not get away with this," Odin said fiercely, "no one touches a son of mine."

Thor couldn't help suppress a smile. Loki had always thought himself lesser than his big brother, but now he finally had proof such was not the case. Frigga and Odin loved both their sons equally and Thor hoped Loki could accept that fact.

When he glanced at his little brother, Thor found him gazing at their parents with uncertainty in his eyes.

"We are all behind you, Loki," Thor assured him, "no matter what."

"I will hire the best lawyers in this city," Odin said.

"And you will get the best medical treatment there is," Frigga added.

"That's not necessary," Loki said, "a friend of Thor already took care of me. He bandaged my wounds and he makes sure they're healing nicely."

"Good," Frigga said, appearing partially relieved, "then I suppose we call the police now. I just hope your friend Stark won't get in trouble because of this, Thor."

"Don't worry about him," Thor countered.

"I…" Loki wanted to say something, but he appeared at a loss for words. They all turned to look at him expectantly. Loki swallowed heavily and steadied himself. "I feel I should thank you or something."

"No, sweetheart," Frigga quickly said. She reached across the table with her free hand – her other one still holding onto Odin – and grabbed Loki's small, cold hand. She squeezed it gently. "I wish you never thought we wouldn't support you. We love you and we will never abandon you. Things have been difficult these past few years, but never think you are not part of our family."

"We love you, Loki," Odin added, "we will _always_ love you."

Loki was yet again at a loss for words.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thanks, everyone, for reviewing the previous chapter. I'm so glad you all liked the way I portrayed Frigga and Odin. Here is chapter 10. Please enjoy!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 10**

~ o ~

A few weeks later…

~ o ~

Loki stared at the newspaper in front of him. He still wasn't sure if he was imagining this or not. He only knew Thor had come bursting into the kitchen and pressed the newspaper in his hands. He had told Loki to turn to page three, but other than that he had remained completely silent. Now Loki was staring at a rather large picture of Victor Von Doom.

"We did it, Loki," Thor said when five minutes of silence must have passed, "Doom has been convicted to ten years because he is regarded as one who stands in a position of trust. He also has to pay you a fine."

A part of Loki wished he could have been present in court when the verdict had fallen, but Frigga had been adamant to keep him as far away from the trial as possible. He had only been in court once and that was to testify. Frigga despised the idea of her youngest son being in the same room as Doom. Surprisingly, Odin had supported her decision.

These past few weeks, Odin and Frigga had been growing closer again. It so happened that Odin even spent the night in the house. But Loki refused to think his parents were getting back together again. In the end, he would only end up being disappointed.

It was strange for Loki to be back in this house. After four years of juvie and one week of staying at Stark's place, Loki had forgotten the smell of his own bedroom. He had even forgotten how it looked like.

"So it's over?" Loki asked as he glanced up from the newspaper.

"Yes," Thor answered with a bright and relieved smile, "Doom is behind bars and you have the official apologies of the state. You caused quite a stir, but you helped the community get rid of a pedophile."

"I don't think…" Loki had never had any problem with testifying against Doom, but he had hated the vile way people often spoke about him. In the end, Loki felt Doom had truly helped him get through some issues during his stay in juvie. Did that not count for anything?

"What is it, brother?" Thor asked, a frown now covering his brow.

"Don't call him that," Loki heard himself say in a soft voice. He hadn't even meant to let those words slip. It earned him a thoroughly concerned look from his brother. "Don't call him a pedophile."

"But that's exactly what he is," Thor argued, still appearing worried, but also confused at this point, "he abused you, he defiled you when you were just fifteen years old. What else can you call him? I say he should have been locked away forever before he can do this to another kid."

Loki looked at the picture of Doom again. It showed him smiling.

"He helped me," Loki sighed, "he listened to me."

Out of nowhere, Thor was at his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. He forced Loki to look at him. "You hear me, brother," he said, "you trusted that man and I can understand that you feel you owe him something. You do _not_ in fact owe him anything. You certainly don't owe him any loyalty."

"I think it's clear I'm not loyal to him," Loki snapped back, "I turned him in, I testified against him. I am the reason he is going to jail."

Thor tightened his grip on Loki's shoulder. "You did the right thing."

Loki bit down on his lip. Getting into an argument with Thor would be pointless. His brother was as stubborn as he after all. They might not share blood, but surprisingly enough, they shared quite a few characteristics. Perhaps that was Frigga's influence since she was definitely as headstrong as they were.

"You did the right thing," Thor repeated, softer this time.

"I hope so."

~ o ~

Tony was tired. He had been in a board-meeting all day and he longed for sleep. As soon as he got home, he poured himself a drink and dropped down on his couch. His house was quiet for the first time since long. Thor had gone back to live with his mother for the moment – and he had taken his little brother with him of course – and his other friends were all still at work.

Now was the time to enjoy the peace and silence. Tony dropped his head back against the edge of the couch and closed his eyes. If he stayed like this for a few minutes, he would surely drift off into a shallow sleep. In just a few hours' time, he would wake and find Pepper sitting next to him. He was looking forward to that.

His bell rang.

Tony groaned internally. He contemplated on ignoring the bell for a brief second, but then he thought it might already be Pepper. That couldn't be. She had a key. Perhaps it was reporters again? They seemed to be camped outside all the time and maybe someone had finally found the courage to ring his doorbell?

His bell rang a second time.

With irritation running through his veins, Tony got up and headed for his front door. Whoever stood there would not get a pleasant and warm welcome. He forcefully swung the door open, prepared to scowl at whoever would stand before him.

All sound got stuck in his throat.

"Hello, Stark," Loki greeted him.

Tony wasn't sure what to do. He definitely hadn't expected the youngest Odinson to appear on his doorstep. But Loki looked troubled and Tony felt strangely empathic towards the boy. He had followed the entire trial of Doom via the media and of course Thor had kept him posted on everything. He could imagine that all this weighed heavily upon Loki.

"Come in," Tony said, stepping aside and letting Loki enter his home. He closed the door after checking if there weren't any paparazzi nearby. They seemed lucky since Tony saw no one else around.

They walked into the living room and Tony sat back down on his couch. Loki seemed reluctant to sit down as well.

"Is everything all right, Loki?" Tony asked. He didn't know why he cared so for Thor's little brother. Knowing everything he had done in his very short lifetime should frighten Tony, but instead he only felt sympathy for the boy. He wanted to help him.

"I don't know," Loki said reluctantly. He still stood near the doorway, his fingers twitching uncomfortably while his gaze was fixed on his hands. "I don't even know why I'm here."

Tony leaned back into his couch and grabbed his drink again. For a moment he wanted to offer Loki the same drink, but then he remembered he was only seventeen. "I should congratulate you," Tony said, "you won the trial and you won your freedom back. No more juvie."

Loki didn't respond and Tony narrowed his eyes. He could tell Loki was thinking of something, but he didn't think he would want to share that with him. He was beginning to feel extremely curious to why Loki was here exactly. Did Thor even know his brother was here?

"Everyone is so happy," Loki said softly, still not looking up, "it makes me angry."

This time it was Tony who remained silent. This he had not expected.

"Angry?"

"People are saying the vilest things," Loki explained, suddenly gazing straight into Tony's eyes, "they are calling Doom a pedophile, a bastard, and a worthless bag of filth. They are calling him a loathsome, despicable and arrogant and weak excuse for a human being."

Tony wasn't sure where all this is going.

"I hate it," Loki admitted, "I hate that they say those things and I hate that everyone pities me."

Tony swallowed heavily.

"I don't really follow here, Loki."

"I never told Doom to stop," Loki explained, his voice stronger this time, "I never once felt I was being pushed into the relationship. I simply didn't care. What Doom did to me – the beating – it was wrong and I wanted him punished for it, but never did I want him to be publically shamed."

"You're just confused and-"

"_Stop_!" Loki widened his eyes and his breathing quickened. "I am _not_ confused."

Tony suddenly couldn't help but think he never wanted to have kids.

"Then what are you?" He asked. It earned him a questioning look from Loki. "One moment you want to nail Doom to the wall and now you're showing sympathy for him? One moment you testify against him in court and the next you're feeling sorry for him? Personally – to me – that sounds like you're confused."

Loki began to pace the floor.

Tony could only watch him.

"Honestly," Loki admitted after a short silence, "I just feel guilty."

"About Doom?"

"Yes," Loki said, no longer pacing anymore, "and I don't even know why."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! I read some interesting things in them. I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter. Let me know what you think!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 11**

"Sit down, Loki," Tony said, keeping his gaze trained on the young boy. He was fully aware that he sounded commanding, but at this very moment he assumed Loki needed a firm hand. He needed someone to calm him down. At least, that was what Tony was hoping. The last thing he wanted was Loki to explode into a fit of rage in his living room.

Much to Tony's surprise, Loki actually obeyed. The young Odinson inhaled sharply and sat down on the edge of the couch. He was still fidgeting with his fingers and Tony couldn't help but think how young he looked, but at least he was _sitting_. All the pacing had worked on Tony's nerves.

"You feel guilty," he said, only repeating what Loki had told him moment ago, "about of Doom. You have to realize that it's difficult for your family to understand that. In their eyes, Doom only ever hurt you. They can't comprehend why you feel so conflicted."

Loki bit down on his lip and nodded.

"You should talk to someone about this," Tony continued.

"I am talking to _you_, aren't I?" Loki said fiercely.

Tony sighed. He was not made to talk to teenagers, certainly not to teenagers who had a troubled past and actually already tried to kill someone. Tony always believed he had grown up in a difficult situation, but meeting a kid like Loki truly put everything into a different perspective.

"I don't think I'm the best person in the world to confide in, Loki. I want to help you, honestly I do, but this is a bit beyond me. I don't know anything about…_this_."

Loki eyed him evenly. "And what is _this_?"

"Very complicated."

"You're smart," Loki argued, showing a stubbornness that Tony would only ever be able to recognize in Thor as well, "you are CEO of your own company and how old are you exactly? Twenty-five years old? Thirty?"

"I'm twenty, thank you very much," Tony countered, feeling slightly offended, "and it's not because I can lead a company that I can help you. I'm not even leading the company on my own right now because I'm still too young. I have a very close friend that helps me with all the business arrangements. Stark Industries would crash and burn if it wasn't for Obadiah Stane."

Loki remained silent, but his intense green eyes stayed on Tony the entire time.

Tony was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He should call Thor, but Loki would probably not appreciate that very much at this point. Besides, he wouldn't know what to tell Thor at this moment. It wasn't like Loki was doing anything wrong. Nor was he unwelcome.

"I had someone I could talk to," Loki said after a few moments, "but he's in jail now."

Again, Tony was lost for words.

"I want to see him," Loki suddenly declared, his green gaze sharpening slightly, "I have to talk to Doom and you are the only one that can help me with that."

"No," Tony said with a shocked voice, "no, no, no!"

"My mother certainly won't take me," Loki argued, all but jumping up from the couch. He appeared like a crazy cat that kept jumping from one spot to another. All that time, he kept gazing at Tony with sad, conflicted and torn eyes. Tony hated that look on his face. "My father would murder Doom if he ever gets within ten feet of him and Thor would surely do the same. Please, Tony, just do me this one favor. You're the only one I can count on for the moment."

Tony winced.

"_Please_."

What the hell was he doing?

"Fine."

God damnit!

~ o ~

It was strange to stand in the visitor's room of the State Prison. Loki had never been here before though he found that the room resembled the visitor's room in juvie. There were about two dozen round tables - all bolted to the concrete floor - and half of them were currently in use. Loki couldn't help but think that the men sitting at those tables were all criminals. They didn't look like criminals, certainly not now they were with their families or friends.

Loki sat down at the fourth round table and watched Tony do the same. He could tell the man regretted this, but Loki was certain they were doing the right thing. Soon he would be able to speak to Doom and everything would be all right… _Right_? He would apologize. He would tell Doom he was sorry about everything, but would that be enough?

A small voice in the back of his head laughed at him.

A door at the far end of the room opened and Doom walked in, escorted by two guards. They stop just as they have entered and the guards remove Doom's cuffs. Loki can't help but swallow heavily when Doom is brought closer towards him.

When Doom's eyes met Loki's, there was a moment of dead silence. At least, Loki felt as if everything had gone silent. His heart was racing in his chest and he didn't even know why. He wasn't afraid of Doom. Perhaps it was guilt consuming him again.

All Loki knew for certain was that he felt terribly confused.

Doom sat down without saying a word. His brown eyes remained trained on Loki the entire time, but Loki didn't flinch. He spent four years in juvie after all and he wasn't easily intimidated.

"What are you doing here?" Doom asked when Loki stayed quiet.

Loki saw Tony tense besides him, but he ignored him. Doom seemed to ignore Tony as well. Loki cleared his throat and reminded himself to keep it together.

"I had to talk to you," e explained, his voice surprisingly strong and confident, "with everything that has been happening these past few weeks, I can't help but feel…awful. I never wanted this."

"You never wanted this," Doom repeated slowly, narrowing his eyes, "well you should have thought about that before you pressed charges, Loki. You never wanted this, but guess what? Neither did I!"

"Keep your voice down," Tony interjected, shooting Doom his best glare.

Loki was grateful that Tony had his back. He wasn't here to argue and fight after all. He was indeed hoping they could keep it civilized.

"I don't know why you're here," Doom continued, his voice calmer again, "but I do hope you don't except a warm, touching conversation."

"I just wanted to apologize," Loki said, suddenly sounding less strong and confident, "I wanted to say I am sorry for everything that has happened. I never wanted the media to call you those terrible names. I never wanted to destroy you."

Doom laughed hollowly. "You cost me everything," he sneered, "I lost my friends, I lost my credibility, I lost my job and I lost my freedom. But thank the heavens that you are _sorry_. Now I feel so much better."

Loki stared directly into Doom's cold and calculated eyes. He was nothing like the man Loki had gotten to know over the years.

"But I truly am-"

Doom banged both his fists against the metal table surface. It produced an almost deafening sound. Everyone in the room was suddenly looking at them and two guards moved forward. Doom pulled his fists back and hid them under the table. He bowed his head and inhaled deeply, calming himself. The guards stopped, still granting them privacy, but they kept their gazes steadily on Doom.

It was a comfort to Loki to know that the situation was being controlled.

"Don't even say that you are sorry, Loki," Doom said, still not looking up.

A moment passed and Loki didn't know what to say or do. He felt tears sting his eyes, but he refused to let them free. He would _not_ cry. Not here, not in jail and not in front of Doom. He refused to appear weak.

"I always thought you were so very special," Doom continued, his voice soft and almost broken, "I thought so from the moment I first saw you in my office. You were young, so very young, but your mind… You spoke like an adult."

Loki swallowed heavily. He could feel Tony's gaze upon him.

Doom began to nod though he still didn't look up. "It was my fault, I know that. I should never have touched you, but you were irresistible, Loki. Most of all, you were so very smart. Sometimes, I would watch you in the common room at the center. I would watch you interact with the other boys and I was always mesmerized."

Loki blinked rapidly, tears slipping past his defenses. Doom sounded broken, hopeless. This is why Loki felt so guilty. This is why he wanted to apologize. That is why he was here, was he not? Did he really want to show regret to the man that had beaten him a few weeks ago? Loki honestly couldn't tell anymore.

"You are a master manipulator," Doom said and he did look up now. He had tears in his eyes as well and he no longer looked like a young, confident psychologist. "The way you would always get what you wanted at the center astonished me. You were always very sensitive and you could pick up on the smallest emotions. That's how you manipulated the other boys and it's how you manipulated me."

"Loki never manipulated you," Tony snapped, glaring at Doom, "you abused a young, defenseless child and you're blaming _him_? That's low, Mr. Doom, very low."

"And how come you are here?" Doom suddenly asked, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Tony.

Loki could see confusion filling Tony's mind.

"Surely this visit wasn't your idea, Mr. Stark?" Doom clarified. "How long did it take for Loki here to convince you that this was a good idea?" There was nothing but silence. "Well? How long? Five minutes? Two minutes?"

Loki could tell what Tony was thinking. In truth, he had manipulated Tony back at his home. And it had only taken him a very few seconds to convince him. He had played all the right angles and he had said all the right things. Doom wasn't lying. Loki was indeed a master at manipulating. It wasn't a secret.

"Exactly my point," Doom concluded as his gazing fell back on Loki, "I'm not defending myself. I should never have begun a sexual relationship with you. I was indeed the adult and I should have acted more responsible. I should have used my goddamn brains. I also should never have lost my temper like that. I shouldn't have beaten you."

"Damn right you shouldn't have," Tony hissed.

"He's right," Loki whispered, no longer able to look at Doom. He stared at his folded hands laying on the cold table surface.

"_What_?" Tony breathed.

"Doom is right. I did manipulate him on more than one occasion. I enjoyed his attention and enjoyed the way he would look at me sometimes. I didn't want to lose that so I often said things to manipulate his empathy. I made him feel just the right emotions so that would feel the need to comfort me."

"No, stop it," Tony said firmly. He turned his body towards Loki and lifted a warningly finger. "You have to stop this madness right now, Loki. Don't even think that you are to blame. You were – _are_ a child and he took advantage of you."

Loki glanced up to meet Tony's gaze.

"Don't believe his innocent act, Mr. Stark," Doom said coldly, "it's all part of his big schemes."

Tony stood up forcefully. "We are leaving, Loki, come on."

Loki turned his gaze towards Doom who remained absolutely silent.

"I said we are _leaving_," Tony repeated angrily, "so get up!"

Loki complied.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: Here I am again, with a new chapter. I am so sorry for not updating this story in so long. I had a writer's block for this one, but I now know again where I want to take this story. The truth is, that it is coming to an end. I could drag it out, but I refuse to do so. I hope you guys are still interested in seeing how this story will be resolved. Thanks to everyone who reviewed chapter 11. I hope you will all enjoy chapter 12!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 12**

"What the _hell-_" Thor slammed both his hands down on the table surface. Two cups of coffee rattled and the hot liquid spilled over the edge. "-were you thinking, Stark?"

Tony had never seen Thor so angry before. Scratch that and make it absolutely furious. His blue eyes spoke of murder. There wasn't even an occasion where Tony could recall Thor ever raised his voice and he would never have called him a temperamental man, but today he was proven that there was another side to the young Englishman. That side clearly only came out when it came to his little brother.

Oh how Tony wished he had never taken Loki to see Doctor Doom right now. In truth, he should have known it was a bad idea.

"Look," he said, forcing Thor to listen to him, "what was I supposed to do? Loki just showed up on my doorstep, looking shaken and upset. I could hardly turn him away, now could I?"

"You should have called me," Thor growled. His usually amiable eyes appeared cold and hostile.

Tony refused to be impressed and intimidated by him. "Honestly I thought about that," he said, making sure he didn't raise his voice himself. One, he wasn't going to get into a fight with Thor over Loki and two, he just wasn't going to get into a fight with Thor. Seriously, Tony was certain Thor could snap his neck with the mere use of two fingers. "But then your brother started talking and I had to listen to him since no one else would."

Bad choice of words. Tony wanted to smack himself on the head.

"_I _listen to him!"

"Maybe," Tony quickly countered, "but you are also his brother. At that moment, he needed a friend and I decided I could be that for him."

Thor's expression softened for a moment though his body still appeared very tense. Tony swallowed heavily and then remembered he was _home_. If he wanted, he could just call Happy – his bodyguard who was never around when he needed him – and have him kick Thor out, but only if the situation ran out of control. Tony would never want to kick his friend out of his house.

"I had to listen to him, Thor," Tony repeated, emphasizing every word, "everyone kept telling Loki how he should feel and no one even _tried_ to understand him. I thought that maybe if he spoke with that doctor one last time, he would finally get that he isn't to blame. You have a troubled brother, one who has a lot of issues. I was hoping I could help him a bit."

"My brother does indeed have a lot of issues," Thor sighed, pinching the bridge of his noise, "you know what else he has?"

Tony was greatly confused.

"Stockholm syndrome," Thor explained.

"_What_?" Tony breathed.

"It's a phenomenon also known as emotional or traumatic bonding," Thor explained, "it's when a victim feels sympathy for those who abused him. People often think that you can only have Stockholm syndrome when you've been kidnapped or when you've been held hostage, but abused children often display the same symptoms."

Tony wanted to say '_I know what Stockholm syndrome is_', but he was momentarily dumbfounded. He couldn't speak anymore. He could only think of the stupidity he had committed. Loki feels sympathy towards Doom – that wasn't really a secret – and Tony had been brainless enough to actually take him to see that man again!

Now he wouldn't even stop Thor if he tried to choke him with two fingers.

"What happens now?" Tony asked carefully, "With Loki I mean."

Thor sighed heavily. He pulled back a chair and sat down. For the first time since this mess had begun, he looked tired and almost desperate. Tony didn't know what is was like to have a little brother, but he could imagine that having a little brother like Loki was energy-consuming. It made Tony think he was glad to be a single child.

He watched Thor pull a cup of coffee closer towards him. It was probably cold by now, but Thor drank it anyway.

"My parents took Loki to a new psychologist," Thor said quietly, "but I don't think that is such a good idea. You should have seen Loki's face when they told him they were going to see another doctor. I hadn't seen him so frightened before."

Tony had no idea what he was supposed to say to that. He wasn't an expert on psychology. In truth, he had never really given it much credit. Tony was a man of mechanics. Give him a car and he'll gladly dissect it, only to put it back together but as an improved model. Dissecting the mind was something Tony avoided. It only proved to be irregular and nonsensical.

He could imagine that Loki's mind was ten times worse.

"He doesn't want to get hurt again," Tony said when Thor remained silent, "I doubt he trusts anyone at this point."

Above all, Tony wanted to be a good friend, but at the very moment he felt like he was failing. He had never had proper bedside manners, let alone that he knew how to comfort a friend with an almost psychotic brother. He could hardly say everything would be all right in the end. Tony had never been a liar and he wasn't going to start now.

Thor rubbed a hand over his tired face. "He seems to trust you," he said quietly.

Tony was taken aback by Thor's words. "I hardly think Loki trusts me, Thor."

"He does," Thor replied instantly, his blue eyes connecting with Tony's brown ones, "he came to you, didn't he? You were right, Tony, none of us were listening to him so he came to _you_. You are his friend and I would appreciate it if you could help him in any way."

It wasn't fair of Thor to ask so much of him. They could all hardly expect Tony to fix this! He was a genius, yes, but he was also the biggest idiot when it came to human relationships. Could he be a friend to a hurt, screwed up boy? He wanted to, truly he did, but that didn't mean he could actually do it.

"I'll try," he said eventually, hoping that he could help Loki in some way, "but I can't promise that I'll be any good to him. You and I both know that I am not the best person in the world. I have my own flaws."

"We all have flaws," Thor said, "I might even have the biggest one. After all, I hid Loki from all of you. I never even told you I had a brother. What kind of person does that make me? I shouldn't have abandoned him. I should have supported him."

"You were just a kid yourself," Tony argued, not wanting to hear any of Thor's wallowing. Yes, he made mistakes and yes, he could have been a better brother to Loki, but what's done is done. If Thor acted like a good brother now then that was good enough, wasn't it? "We'll help Loki in any way we can, I promise."

To that, Thor dared to smile.

~ 0 ~

Loki couldn't believe that he was in this kind of situation again, but he knew he would not make the same mistake again. He was a smart boy after all, a boy that had never been a boy in the first place. Loki had grown up years ago. In fact, he believed he had never had a childhood to begin with.

But whose fault was that? Odin and Frigga's for keeping such a heavy secret from him? Thor for abandoning him when he had needed him most? Doom for taking advantage of him or was it Loki's fault for accepting Doom's actions? Was it Loki's fault because he had tried to murder his true father? Was it his fault because he had shattered his family apart, forcing him to grow up so quickly?

It turned out Loki could be the cause of many things. He couldn't help but sigh which he instantly regretted. The new psychologist's gaze sharpened and Loki wished he could just get up and leave. He wouldn't though because he had promised his parents that he would try and make this work. Too bad he didn't want to make this work. What was the point of it in the end?

Loki did not like the man sitting in front of him. He was tall, had ordinary brown eyes and ordinary brown hair of which a few strands were already turning grey. He was skinny, but the casual suit he was wearing fitted him well. He wasn't particularly handsome, but the way he held himself, the way he kept pushing his glasses higher up his nose told Loki that he was a very self-conscious man.

What was his name again? Ah yes, Reed Richards. According to Loki's parents, this was a brilliant man with more PhD's than you could count on your one hand. Loki couldn't really spot the brilliance of this man. To him, Reed Richards was another person he could not trust.

"What are you thinking?" Reed asked when the silence had lasted over ten minutes.

For a while there Loki thought that that was how they would have spent this session: in complete silence. He wouldn't even have minded. He wasn't the kind of person that cracked under pressure of dead silence. He grew up in juvie so he was used to these kind of situations.

"I wasn't thinking of anything in particular," Loki answered indifferently. He wasn't going to spill his guts to a stranger. He wouldn't even do it to someone he trusted like Thor.

He had done it to Tony, though, Loki thought. That irritated him, particularly because he didn't even know Tony that well. But he had confided in him so did that mean he trusted Tony? Probably not. After all, Loki did use right afterwards.

"You always look thoughtful," Reed commented, "I think, actually I _know_ that you are a very smart and bright young man. That makes me believe you always think about everything."

Okay, so Reed had one thing right. That did not make him a good psychologist. Doctor Doom was a good psychologist. Too bad he also liked children he was supposed to help. Loki forced himself to focus on Reed again. He couldn't help but think that as Reed spoke, he thought to hear empathy and kindness. He wondered what that truly meant.

"Am I not allowed to think about everything?" Loki asked sharply.

Either Reed was exceptional at hiding unease or he simply did not feel uneasy at all. In truth, Reed appeared rather relaxed, certainly in comparison to Loki who couldn't help but fiddle with his fingers.

"You may think of whatever it is that you like," Reed said leisurely, "and you may share anything with me if you wish."

_If you wish_. So Reed did not actually want to force Loki into revealing anything? Reed didn't want him to share his feelings and thoughts? That was strange and frankly, Loki didn't trust it. He did not trust that man for one bit. If Reed didn't want Loki to talk, then what did he want in the first place?

"And what if I don't want to talk?" Loki asked carefully. He meticulously studied Reed's face at that moment, but he couldn't find any change in his expression. The kindness remained.

"If you don't want to talk," Reed said, "then that is fine with me."

A smile spread across Reed's face, revealing a row of perfect white teeth. It was a genuine, warm smile. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Why was that man smiling at him? Loki just couldn't figure out what that man wanted of him! Then a click was made in his mind. Of course, Loki thought, what else could Reed want?

Slowly, Loki stood up and walked over to where Reed was sitting. He failed to notice Reed's frown and simply continued with his actions. He kneeled directly in front of Reed and placed both his hands on his inner thighs.

Reed's hands instantly grabbed Loki's and he all but pushed the young man aside as he jumped up from his seat. He quickly took five steps back and sucked in a sharp breath.

"No, no, no," Reed sputtered. He straightened his shirt and tried to hide his unease.

Loki was greatly confused at this point. "You don't want me?" He asked. Now that he saw Reed's shocked expression, Loki felt himself grow hot in the face. He had never before felt so embarrassed! Of course Reed didn't want him. Who in his right mind would want to have a screwed up young man as himself?

"I only want to help you," Reed said.

It surprised Loki that the psychologist remained so composed. His eyes held no accusation or disgust whatsoever. Loki suddenly realized he was still kneeling so he quickly jumped up. His face still felt extremely warm and he knew he was blushing. Never before had he felt so _mortified_! The urge to escape overwhelmed Loki so he spun around, turning his back to Reed, and headed for the door.

"I know you don't trust anyone," Reed said before Loki even grabbed the doorknob, "and you least of all trust me. Why would you after all? Last time you trusted a psychologist, you ended up very hurt."

Loki was faintly aware that his breathing was coming raggedly from his lungs and that his heart was racing inside of his chest. He truly wanted to leave now, but something was preventing him from doing so. Or rather someone. Loki wanted Reed to shut up.

"I want to promise you, Loki," Reed said sincerely, "that I won't ever hurt you, nor will I force you into anything. There are some difficult times lying ahead and you will often feel pained by the truth and by reality, but I won't ever harm you. I will be here for you, helping you get through those difficult times. That is my promise to you."

Carefully Loki turned around again. He suspiciously eyed Reed, looking for any sign of deception, but he found none. He asked the one question that still lay on his mind.

"You still want to help me," he said, "why?"

"Because despite everything," Reed answered, "you are a still a good young man. You deserve to be given a second chance and I want to help you make the best out of it."

Loki bit down on his lip. He might deserve a second chance, but he was most likely to screw that up anyway. Why would anyone bother helping him? Why would anyone care?

"I know it's not fair of me to ask this of you," Reed continued after a short silence, "but can you trust me? Can you believe that I only want to help you? Together we can make things better, Loki, together we can resolve the past and make something of the future."

Loki rather liked that idea.

"We have two hours in the week together," Reed said, a faint smile returning to his face, "and sometimes you'll feel like talking and sometimes you'll want to tell me things. Other times, you won't feel like talking at all. That is okay with me. Just know that I am here and that I _will_ listen to you."

Loki nodded, no longer trusting his voice.

"Then I'll see you next week?" Reed asked.

Loki cleared his throat. "I'll be here," he answered.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Marvel-characters!**

**AN: I have finally done it! I wrote the final chapter for this story. I completely lost track of this, but I know you guys like this story and I didn't want to leave it unfinished. I did my best and I hope you'll be pleased with the result. Thank you so much for reading (and reviewing) this story. I love you all!**

**~ Nobody Sees ~**

**Chapter 13**

~ 0 ~

A few weeks later.

~ 0 ~

All in all, everything was running smoothly. Loki had never expected that. He had never thought he would be able to pick up his life so soon after the events with Doctor Doom. Living with his mother didn't prove to be that easy, but at least he was home with his family, and the media attention had finally died out. Life was slowly turning normal again. At least, Loki thought it to be normal. He didn't know what the concept of 'normal' contained.

Now the summer was coming to an end, but Loki had barely any expectations for the future. He needed to make plans, but it had been years since he'd been allowed to make his own decisions. He didn't even know if he could handle _real_ life. He had to finish the last year of his high school education and then he needed to choose what he wanted to study next year. He needed to pick a University and decide what he wanted to become. Those decisions would affect the rest of his life and that was a scary thought because he knew better than anyone that one wrong choice could destroy everything.

"Do you know what school you are going to attend this year?" Reed asked.

Loki was instantly pulled from his thoughts. He gazed into Reed's warm and kind eyes and felt lucky he had ended up with this psychologist. He had met with him every week now. The beginning of their sessions had been rough and Loki hadn't always wanted to talk, but eventually he opened up. He trusted Reed and he knew he was a decent, sympathetic man.

"Mother wants to send me to a private school," Loki answered thoughtfully. Frigga was very overprotective of him lately, but he couldn't blame her. "She thinks it would make it easier for me, but I wouldn't mind going to a public school."

Reed smiled kindly. It was one of the few times he didn't have a notepad lying in his lap. He simply looked at Loki and talked to him as if they were having a normal, casual conversation. "Are you excited about it?"

"Excited, yes," Loki sighed. He hadn't spoken about this to anyone. "I'm also terrified."

"Which is understandable," Reed replied, his smile never faltering, "you haven't been to school in four years, it makes a lot of sense you are scared. If you are really so nervous about it, we could always work towards the big moment. We could visit the school you choose so you could get used to the new environment. Perhaps we can arrange a meeting with a few teachers and we could train your social skills if you like. It might help you make friends."

Loki liked that last part. As a boy, he had always been very open and social, but through the years, he had grown more manipulative. He had never considered people to be his friends. They were simply objects he could use to achieve certain goals. When he'd ended up in juvie, everything had just been a matter of survival. Loki couldn't count all the times he'd been in a fight with another boy on both his hands. He was certain he had barely any social skills left.

"Yeah, that could help," he said only mildly enthusiastic. He still hid most of his thoughts and emotions. He certainly hid them from his family. He had been such a burden to them the last few years that he wanted to ease their lives now. It was the least he could do. He knew his parents and brother would hate for him to think this, but it was the simple truth.

"Great," Reed said, "I'll prepare something for next week. Perhaps we could do a few role-plays." He glanced at his watch.

"Is our time up?"

"I'm afraid so," Reed answered, "but we have been making great progress during our sessions together."

Loki nodded. _Great _progress might be a bit of an overstatement. It was always one step forward and two steps back. But at least he was talking to Reed, confiding in him. That was something. Loki knew he just had to take everything one day at a time, but it could be very frustrating as well. There were days he wished he was just a normal boy and every day he wished he could undo his actions of four years ago.

"I'll see you next week," he said. He stood from his seat and watched Reed follow his example. They shook hands – which they always did – and said goodbye.

The moment Loki stepped outside, he felt the sunlight hit his face. He took a moment to enjoy the warmth. The summer was coming to an end and Loki vowed to enjoy it for as long as he could. He went swimming in Tony's pool every week and Thor took him to the park as often as he could. They would walk and just…talk. The topics could be hard and meaningful, but sometimes they just joked around. Finally, Loki had the feeling he knew his older brother again. He knew what Thor's mind was occupied with, he knew who his friends were and he had even met Jane.

It was Thor who came to pick him up with their mother's car. That was a surprise since Frigga barely allowed Thor to drive.

"Hey," Thor greeted him with a broad smile.

Loki had never once believed Thor would ever be happy to see him again. Their relationship was still strained at times and there could be awkward silences, but that was to be expected. Loki was merely glad they were brothers again. They had each other's backs.

"Thanks for picking me up," he said.

"No problem," Thor said casually, "Mother is still at the hairdresser. It's a miracle she let me borrow her car."

They both laughed. Loki knew Thor could be a wild spirit at times and whenever he wasn't home, Frigga couldn't help but think he would do something rash. It wouldn't be the first time Thor crashed a car. He'd had an accident about year ago and it was a miracle he walked away from it without a scratch.

"It's still early," Thor continued when Loki remained silent, "so I thought we could swing by Tony's first. We could take a quick dive in his pool and I know Tony would be happy to see you again." Clearly Thor was rambling, but Loki didn't mind. He enjoyed listening to his brother's mindless blabber. It soothed him. "Of course we have to be home on time because Father is coming for dinner. Mother was already freaking out when I left her this afternoon. I keep telling her it's just dinner, but she's nervous all the time and-"

"Thor?" Loki interrupted his brother. He was amused by Thor's continuous talking, but now he really wanted to ask a question that had been on his mind for weeks now. "Are they getting back together?"

Thor threw him a quick glance before focusing on the road again. "Honestly, I don't know," he said, "but it would be nice, right? We would be a family again. I think they are going to try and make it work because no one doubts they love each other, but… I just don't know."

"It would be nice to be a proper family," Loki admitted. He gazed at his hands which lay folded in his lap. "I really am sorry for all that I did, Thor. I realize it's my fault our parents broke up and why you had such a hard time these past few years."

"Don't say that," Thor replied, "yes, we have had a rough time, but it has passed now. We have to make the best of what we have. We are a family again and that's all that matters."

"You're really not angry with me?" Loki asked, surprised to hear his own voice so terribly soft and fragile.

"No, not anymore," Thor admitted, "I won't deny that I haven't cursed your existence at least once, but again, not anymore. Besides, we are brothers and we are supposed to be angry with each other sometimes. I'll admit we have a…peculiar relationship, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I left you once and I refuse to do that again."

Loki couldn't help but break into a broad smile. "I love you, too."

~ 0 ~

Thor was still in the pool, but Loki decided he rather lay in the grass for a while. He closed his eyes and only felt of the sun on his face. He let his thoughts wander and for the first time, he didn't feel anxious when thinking of the future. He knew he had Thor's support and he knew his parents would support him as well.

It was only when he heard approaching footsteps that he was brought to the present again. He didn't even need to open his eyes to know it was Tony. He had that typical confident step after all.

"Having a good time?" Tony asked. He sounded very relaxed.

Loki opened his eyes – momentarily blinded by the sun – and turned to look at the young billionaire. He really didn't know how Thor had ended up befriending that man, but he was glad for it. He liked Tony Stark. He didn't take any of his bullshit and he was one of the few people on this earth that could tell when he was lying.

"Absolutely," he replied, smiling, "thanks for letting us use your pool so often."

"I'm always happy to receive visitors," Tony grinned.

"You hate visitors," Loki countered. It was strange that he had gotten to know Tony so well during the past few weeks. He simply felt he could trust the man sitting at his side and it made him feel a little less lonely.

"True," Tony laughed, "very true." He glanced towards Thor who was mindlessly drifting through the clear water. Obviously he couldn't hear them and that seemed to appease Tony. "Now tell me, Loki, how are you _really_?"

"Better," Loki answered truthfully. There really was no point in lying because – as he'd pointed out earlier – Tony could tell when he was full of bullshit. It was a good thing it worked both ways. "I'm nervous about the new school year obviously. I wish Thor still went to High School. That would make the experience easier."

"You'll do fine," Tony replied confidently, waving away Loki's concerns, "you have interesting stories to tell after all. The other kids will be mesmerized. Also, you're not to be messed with. I'm sure you could beat every kid's ass."

"There you've said it," Loki sighed, "_kids_. I'm not a kid, Tony, I was forced to grow up four years ago. How will I ever fit it? Starting fights won't do me any good either."

"It's just one year," Tony comforted him, "then you're off to College. A new life will begin and I can assure you, you'll love it."

"College," Loki echoed silently, "another big decision."

"That it is," Tony agreed, nodding. He lied down on the grass and closed his eyes for a moment. "Do you have any idea where you want to go yet? What you'll study?"

"I don't know," Loki said glumly. He actually hated to think about these decisions. "I'll probably go to a Community College or something. My grades at school won't be brilliant after all and what College wants to accept a guy like me? They'll all be terrified I'll try and burn the campus down or something."

Tony sat up instantly, his brown eyes standing earnestly. "You are my friend, Loki Odinson," he said, all joking aside, "and I will _not_ allow you to go to a random Community College. Not that it's a shame, but you name whatever school you want to attend and I swear, I'll do anything to get you in."

Loki arched one eyebrow, not quite sure what he was hearing.

"You forget who I am, Loki," Tony continued airily, "I have influence. Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Brown. You name it and I'll get you in."

Loki shook his head. "I'm not going to use our friendship like that."

"Who cares?" Tony laughed warmly. "What else are friends for? Besides, I won't be the only one on your side. You forget your parents have a bit of influence as well. The state owes you big time, too. And you are seeing a psychologist, right? What's his name? Perhaps he can help as well."

"Reed," Loki answered, "his name is Richard Reed."

Tony's eyes widened almost comically. "You have no idea who that is, haven't you?" He asked breathlessly. "I happen to know Reed rather well. We were a bit of…rivals in College. He's a genius, Loki, and I think he has degrees in mathematics, physics, mechanics, and he has a PHD in psychology. He is very good man and he would love to help you get into any College you want."

"I'm not sure I can ask him such a favor," Loki said uncertainly.

"If you don't ask him, I'll just ask," Tony said stubbornly. His smile grew wider.

"I…I don't know what to say," Loki admitted, "I was terrified of the future, but I think I'll be able to handle it now. Just as long as I have my parents, Thor, and you as my friend. I'm still a bit anxious to see what else will come my way, but then again, who isn't?"

"Exactly," Tony agreed. He put a hand on Loki's shoulder and squeezed it. "Everything will be okay."

"Thanks, Tony," Loki smiled. Just as he was about to say something else, he was splashed with cold water. "_Hey_!"

Thor was at the edge of the pool, his eyes narrowed as he observed his brother and friend. "What are you two contriving there?" He asked, his voice holding only amusement. "I feel very left out."

"Nothing, we are concocting nothing," Loki grinned. It was hilarious to see Thor's suspicious eyes.

"Well, then get your butts up and get into the pool," Thor ordered, "I'm getting lonely here. And bored. Especially bored."

Loki burst with laughter. "In all the years that have gone by, you haven't changed one bit, have you, brother?" Thor frowned at his comment. "You're still horribly _bossy_."

In that moment, Loki felt good. He felt strong and confident. He felt he could handle the world and the future. He had his brother back and he had gained a valuable friend. His parents might be getting back together and he had a future to look forward to. Things might just turn out okay. _He _might just turn out okay, and that was a good thing.

A very good thing.

~ 0 ~

The End.

~ 0 ~


End file.
